Akela's Quest
by Nettle123
Summary: A young she-wolf is looking to start up a pack, her determined spirit set fixedly on victory. But what problems will the wolves face if they are to survive the harsh winter?
1. Chapter 1

**Akela's Quest**

A creature padded silently through the whispering trees, its pawsteps made no noise against the fallen snow. This strange soul was that of a wolf, a lone wolf. It is often said that wolves travel in packs, or at least amongst the company of others. But here, it appears that this statement is not true. However, one does not know the intentions of this wolf, and everything has intentions. So what of the intentions which apply to this wolf? This wolf, or rather, she-wolf, has the intention of finding company, goodness knows - maybe even starting a pack. However, if it were to complete these intentions, then she would have to find other lost souls amongst this darkened forest. And what better place to call upon fellow wolves, than the peak of a mountain?

The she-wolf found her paws going up a slope, it seemed to be a gentle slope at first, but then it became steeper. Here, the snow grew thicker under-paw, and the trees grew bare and brittle, until the only cover was that of looming leafless branches, which were being swayed by the breeze, creaking as they did so. It was a hospitable environment.

However, after a while of trudging through snow, the trees began to thin and finally the she-wolf found herself in the open air, near the peak of a mountain. She slowed, her pace could not quicken for the amount of snow which had accumulated on the ground was thick, and even with her tall frame, the snow came almost to the tops of her legs. But the end was in sight. A tall, gnarled tree, the only one which could survive these winds, stood at the top of the mountain, upon... It seemed that it stood on a large cluster of rocks, it's roots entwining them, keeping it firmly put on the ground.

The she-wolf reached the rock cluster, and was able to get a closer look at it. It was as though boulders from the sky had fallen and landed on the mountain peak, crushing the rocks and earth beneath them. And, there seemed to be dark tunnels which led underneath them, just about large enough for a wolf to fit in.

By now, the winds were ferocious, and the she-wolf could barely keep her foot in the snow. In desperation, and seeking shelter, she padded into one of the largest dark tunnels. Though dark and musty, she could stand up to her full height, and no winds reached her. Feeling a little more positive about venturing into the unknown, the she-wolf began to pad down the tunnel. At last, she found light at the end, or was it the end...

She found herself in a large cavern, the walls and ceiling made out of rock and soil, all kept together by the mighty tree roots. She was in wonder. And as for the light, it came from a gap in the ceiling, where she could look through and see the trunk of the old tree growing. It was wonderful, and she could only gasp. There was other tunnels too, five in total, some smaller than others, but they all seemed to be entrances to the cavern.

Swept up in amazement, an idea shot into the she-wolf's head - _this place would be perfect for a pack._ And it would. Imagine the whole pack making shelter in the cavern, with escape routes if they needed, a light for all to see... It was a whole different world down here, and it made her wonder things which she had never thought of before - what if she was a leader of a pack, her own pack, living on the mountain. The thought was tempting, and she could hold on to it no longer.

In a sudden rush of excitement, the she-wolf scrambled out of the cavern, into the dark tunnels, and out into the wild winds. She leaped onto the boulders, and the stood beside the old tree. Her snowy white fur was buffeted by the winds, her blue eyes glinting with her racing thoughts. Throwing her magnificent head back, the she-wolf let out a tremendous howl. Calling all wolves, calling all wolves to her and her new home.

The she-wolf's howl echoed through the lands, and through the other, smaller mountains, and through the surrounding valleys. It seemed the infamous Akela, for that was her name, had risen again.

After Akela's howl had finally ceased, she paused. The echo of her voice hung poignantly in the air, and her ears pricked slightly for any sound of an answering howl. But, if any wolf had heard her, she would not have been able to tell - the winds were too high. Slightly disappointed, but only a little disheartened, Akela waited, her paws itching to move from the chilled rock beneath them.

But wait, what was that? Akela could have sworn that she just heard something - pawsteps? And if she did hear pawsteps, then it would stand to reason that they belonged to another animal. Hopefully, a wolf. Suddenly, she wished she'd chosen a meeting point which wasn't so hard to get to. It had seemed great at first, and she'd cleared the overhangs and steep slopes and miniature avalanches to get up to the peak, but often Akela found that because she loved to take to a challenge, that these things were just fun. Others might not find it so.

However, that worrying thought quickly left her, as she saw at first the head, then shoulders, then full sight of another wolf. It seemed that she had been successful, as now another wolf sat roughly five feet away from her, presumably in mutual respect. It was a male wolf, and his fur was white, yet it had a faint russet tint to it. His eyes were a pale blue, except they resembled the icy landscape around them more than the blue of a sky.

The wolf spoke, _"Hello I am Akemi, you?"_, causing Akela to smile widely. She had found another wolf, which she deemed to be friendly, and quite pleasant.

**"Greetings Akemi - I am Akela, daughter of Elmar and Libonatti."**

She barked, her voice carried by the breeze, making it sound louder than she had intended. But really, the she-wolf couldn't care less - she'd just found another wolf, which may or may not become part of her pack.

And it would be her pack, Akela was sure of it now. She would host one of the greatest packs in wolf history.

Or at least try to, anyway.

_"Why did you howl for other wolves?"_ Akemi asked, his eyes betraying his curiosity.

It seemed that Akemi wasn't very bright, either that, or her point wasn't as obvious as she'd hoped. Somehow, Akela wasn't sure which of them was correct, and which would be the best option to be correct. If he wasn't very bright, then that would mean that she'd have a not very clever wolf in her pack. If it were the latter, then it would mean that Akela had done something wrong. And that she didn't like.

Still, that was the way it was, whatever way it was. Shrugging inwardly, Akela put her ochre yellow eyes on Akemi, and gave him a hard stare. He certainly seemed competent. Perhaps it was just her. Nevermind. Akela raised one eyebrow, and twisted her head a little, so she was seeing him mostly with her right eye. Something she did often when she wanted a closer look at something.

**"I, Akela, am creating a pack, of which I shall be the leader. I have found a suitable unclaimed territory, but one wolf alone cannot keep it with much success. Will you join me on my quest?"**

Akela demanded, wanting to know about what Akemi would say. She could be stubborn and impatient at times, and this seemed to be one of them. She'd tried to make her words sound noble, and in reality they hadn't sounded as good as they had done in her head. But it was a start, at least.


	2. Chapter 2

It seemed an age before Akemi answered, his pale russet face holding a ponderous expression as he mentally went through all the possibilities that Akela had presented him. She hoped she hadn't seemed to arrogant. After all, she'd just declared that she wanted to be _leader_… Well. Akela had to hope for the best. Though as she had no idea of what the worst was, she probably couldn't hope for the best. But that's a technical issue. Anyway, as it was, Akemi had finally dredged up the words he'd been meaning to say.

"_I… Will. I will join you, I think that's what your asking… Yes. I will join your pack." _Akemi murmured, his voice turning into a strong resolve as he finished. His conviction was strong.

Smiling widely, Akela gave a joyus bark, before being interrupted by the sound of another bark, this one more weary and tired than hers, but it was filled with hope none the less. Akela swivelled her head so she could look over Akemi's shoulder. Behind him stood a small she-wolf, her gray fur was in a mess – matted all over – and she held herself in a constant shrug of desperation. Compassion for the she-wolf surged through Akela's heart, soon to be replaced by the emotion of uncontrollable love and dear pity. The she-wolf had a prominent swollen belly, which could only be home to pups.

Without a word, she leapt over to the she-wolf and nuzzled her comfortingly. Akela felt sympathy to wolves in their hardships, and her mother had told her that bearing pups was the worst but most wonderful hardship of them all.

"Hello, my name is Akela – I wish to create a pack, which you may join."

She murmured softly, being far more straight forward with the she-wolf than she'd been with Akemi. His dawdling had made her realise that she shouldn't be so long winded in her questions. Best to keep things simple.

"_Could I? Can I? Oh thank you!"_ The she-wolf cried and brushed her cheek against Akela's flank.

Akemi gave a slight chuckle from behind them, and he trundled over at his own pace, glancing at Akela with a slight cautiousness before setting his gaze back on the she-wolf.

"_Here, let's get you into some shelter shall we?_" He asked her comfortingly.

To be honest, Akela was surprised at Akemi. She hadn't thought that he would comfort a she-wolf. All wolves generally fend for themselves and leave the she-wolves to suffer alone. Perhaps she had been wrong.

"_You have found a den, haven't you?_" Akemi's question broke through her quiet reverie.

"Yes, yes, follow me." Akela muttered, before leading them into the cool silence of the cave, she felt their breath tickle her fur as they gasped simultaneously, much like she had done, when they saw the cavern.

Akemi was quick to settle the she-wolf into a shallow and sandy dip in the earth. The she-wolf beamed at him, and Akela thought she recognized the first signs of a wonderful camaraderie between the two wolves in that moment.

"What is your name?" Akela asked the she-wolf, introductions were everything.

"_It's Winona, and what's yours?" _Winona barked, before asking Akemi for his.

Akela sighed and tried to block out their idle conversations, and tuned her ears on to the outside world. Perhaps some other wolves would come here to her pack which had now, in a matter of heartbeats, become a grand total of three. It may seem small at the moment, but think of the possibilities of what it could become. Was this moment, right now, the start of a pack which would change the course of history, the very beginning of a pack. Something which would be told to pups even after all the seasons have come and gone. This was the very beginning. Herself, Akemi and Winona were the very first makings of the pack.

Akela shivered.


	3. Chapter 3

The season of Snowfall had ended, and now the Snowmelt had begun. Akela's pack had nearly doubled in size. First of all, Winona had three pups, Chaska, Maliha and Ajay. However, only Chaska and Maliha had survived, for Ajay was born the runt of the litter, and did not survive for long in the harsh Snowfall. But Winona was happy, and that's wanted counted there.

But it wasn't just the pups which had been added to the pack's numbers. Randal and Ramina, brother and sister, had been roaming the lands for a long while, looking for a place to settle down amongst other company. Or rather, Ramina wanted to have someone else apart from her brother to talk to, and Randal wouldn't let Ramina out of his sight. But the pair were a wonderful addition to the pack, proving excellent when hunting elk.

Last but not least, there was now one other member of the pack. Takoda. He was a cheerful wolf and was friendly to everyone, his spirit kept everyone's hopes up even when Snowfall seemed to not want to release it's harsh grip on them. But apart from his bewildering optimism, Takoda was a valuable asset to the group, for he knew how to fight, and fight well. He was a relatively small wolf, but he used that to his advantage.

So all in all, Akela was pleased with the pack. She'd made Takoda her Beta in fact. Of course, she was Alpha through and through, but she needed his support as any Alpha would. Besides, she needed _someone_ to organise hunting parties and territory checks, and Takoda could always make a great compromise. Splendid.

And now Akela sat, tall and grand, upon the largest boulder at the very foot of the dead tree. She looked out upon her territory and a wild sense of victory rushed through her. They had survived one of the toughest Snowmelts, and the pack was growing. Their territory had so far remained theirs, with no competition from other wolves. All was good.

Out of the corner of her ochre eyes, she spotted Ramina coming from the entrance of the den, followed shortly by Randal who was – as always – hovering protectively over her, his anxious dark brown eyes glancing from side to side nervously. Akela fought back the urge to laugh. Ramina had accidentally stepped on a sharp stone, but she was instantly flooded by Randal's questions. "_Are you okay_?", "_Are you sure_?" and "_Do you want to lie down_?" were repeated over and over again. But Ramina just ignored him as usual.

Akela looked back over the territory to see Takoda and Akemi coming up the mountainside quickly, their pawsteps getting further and further apart as they turned from a gentle amble to a sprint to get to the den. Alarmed, Akela leapt off her boulder and waited impatiently for the two to get to her.

If anything had gone wrong… Akela couldn't bear to think. It was all going so well, what could have happened now?

Takoda and Akemi skidded to a halt beside her, spraying up snow as they did so.

"What is it?" Akela growled, wary.

"_There is scent of wolves on our territory. Down by the river." _Akemi growled, but for all his ferocity, his eyes were still anxious.

"_The scent was faint, but it could cause trouble." _Takoda barked coolly, shaking snow from his dark grey fur.

Randal padded over curiously, obviously having overheard the conversation, he was looking more nervous than usual. Ramina followed behind confidently, she clearly wasn't bothered by the news. Ignoring them, Akela kept her eyes on Akemi and Takoda.

"Anything else? Any scents you recognize, any signs of how long ago they were there?" She asked, ears pricked.

"_It was a few sunrises old I'd say, and we couldn't tell who they were._" Takoda barked.

"_How many?_" Randal asked anxiously, eyes darting from side to side as though he were expecting an attack any moment.

"_At least three. Maybe more."_ Akemi growled, his lips pulling back in the beginnings of a snarl. Well, it seemed that he wasn't going to be very welcoming to the strange wolves.

Akela just nodded calmly, taking all the information in. If these wolves were a threat to the pack, then they'd have to fight them. There was no other way. If they were interested in joining the pack then… Akela wasn't sure. She didn't trust these strange wolves. If there was three of them, then they would be sticking together and would not want to join her pack.

"_Why were they there?" _Ramina asked, her tone contemplating.

"_Perhaps they were just curious?_" Winona's voice came from behind them. Akela looked around to see the she-wolf sitting in the den entrance, her gentle eyes worried.

"_Curious?_" Akemi asked her, puzzled.

Winona rolled her eyes as if it was obvious. "_We're a new pack on the mountain, they could just be curious about us. Not threatening our pack at all, perhaps they might be scared of us."_ Her voice was as reasonable as her argument.

Akela frowned. Winona had a point. But the she-wolf had suddenly turned around and flashed back into the den, the sound of her pups whining for food had caught her attention.

When Akela looked back at the rest of the pack, all eyes were on her. They were waiting for her decision. And she would give it to them, eventually.

"I think we should ignore it for now, but if there is any more suspicious activity on the river border, then report back to me immediately." She ordered, and the rest of the pack nodded. They agreed with her decision at least.

The pack dispersed into small groups, murmuring amongst themselves, but then Takoda padded over to Akela and sat next to her. "_It'll all be fine, you'll see._" He murmured soothingly.

Akela gave him a sideways glance, and hoped he was right.


	4. Chapter 4  IMPORTANT

I am moving this story to Fiction Press, FanFiction's sister site. Because it is not related to any other books there are. It's a completely new fiction story. If you wish to find it there, it still goes by the same name, and is in the Fantasy section. However my name there is _Nature's Stories_. I'll see you there! ;)


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